Grave-filling apparatus.



D. A. SPARKS. GRAVE FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15, 1909.

Patented 0ct;26,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a 414 amt-M D. A. SPARKS.

GRAVE FILLING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED .TA N.15, 1909.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' Wibwaoeo a g V WWW I "U7; fltto'anu DOUGLAS A. SPARKS, MONKTON,MARYLAND.

GRAVE-FILLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909.

Application filed January 15, 1909. Serial No. 472,481.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS A. SrARKs, citizen of the United States,residing at Monkton, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave-FillingApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

One of the difficulties encountered in the conduct of funerals,'has beenat the place of interment, in connection with the filling of thenewly-made grave. As is well known, it has been the custom for relativesor those otherwise closely associated with the deceased, to remain atthe grave until the same has been filled. This has often led to seriousconsequences, particularly-in inclement weather and where the mournershave been in delicate health, and has also prolonged the distressingscenes that are so often enacted in the cemetery, while in manyinstances it has been the indirect cause of intrusion upon the scene bythoughtless and curious persons who have thus marred the decency andgood order of the ceremony. In short, it is acknowledged that thegravefilling operation should be performed as expeditiously and quietlyas possible, and with the least degree of ostentation, and it is toattain this end that my invention is primarily designed.

With this object in view, my invention consists of an improvedgrave-filling apparatus which may be quickly adjusted at the side of agrave, to fill the same, the operation being performed as quietly as ispossible, and obviating the long wait and its consequences abovementioned, while, as a subsidiary advantage, it may be mentioned thatthe earth with which the grave is to be filled, is retained within thebox or receptacle, and is not permitted to lie upon the groundcontiguous to the grave, where, as is well known, it has spoiled theappearance of the surrounding turf, and in some instances permanentlyinjured the same. And the invention also consists in certainconstructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shallhereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and toacquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to behad to the following description and accompanying drawings, in Which:

proved Figure 1 is a side elevation of my imgrave-filling apparatus;Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof on the line 2 of Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus; side elevation of the frontend thereof.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

My improved grave-filling apparatus comprises a box or receptacle Apreferably embodying a rear end 1, sides 2, an open front end, and abottom 3 which constitutes a conveyer and which is in the form of aslatted apron, preferably endless. The slats of the bottom apron 3 areconnected at their ends to endless sprocket chains 1 which pass aroundfront and rear sprocket wheels 5 and 6 journaled on transverselyextending shafts mounted at the front and rear ends of the box A. Toimpart movement to the chains 1 and consequently to the apron 3, thefront shaft 5 carries another sprocket wheel 7 around which a drivingchain 8 passes. Said chain also passes around a driving sprocket 9provided with a crank handle 10 or the like and mounted upon a stubshaft 11 secured to one of the sides 2.

In order to support the box A in proper position, I have provided a rearend support B which, in the present embodiment of the invention,comprises a transversely extending rod 12, to the ends of which twopairs of pivoted legs 13 are connected, the said legs being held inoperative spread-out relation by means of rule joint braces 1 1 orsimilar devices, and the leg of one pair being secured to thecorresponding leg of the opposite pair by means of a transverse brace15. Preferably each of the legs is provided with an extensible section16 having a slot and set screw connection therewith, so that one or moreof the legs may be extended in order to hold the rod 12 in properhorizontal position when the rear end support B is vmounted on slopingor uneven ground. The

rod 12 carries rollers 17 that are preferably flanged, and it is uponthese rollers that the rear end of the box A is directly supported.

G designates a front end support which comprises a preferably woodenframe of any desired shape or design, properly braced, the same frameembodying side bars 18 that are provided with racks 19, each rackpreferably consisting of a horizontal portion and, Fig. 4 is an enlargedand an inclined portion, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. The side bars18 are also preferably provided with spikes 20 designed to enter theground when the support C is placed along one side of a grave, and holdthe, support properly in place. Preferably, the. support is of such awidth that its cross bar-21 may lie close to one side edge of the grave,while its side bars 18 may extend along the two end walls of the grave.

A transversely extending shaft 22 is journaled to the lower side edgesof the side boards 2 of the box A, near the front ends thereof, andpinions 23 are mounted on said shaft, the pinions being designed toengage with and ride upon the racks 19. To turn the pinions 23, theshaft 22 is provided at one end with a sprocket wheel 24 over which achain 25 passes, the said chain also passing over another sprocket 26provided with a crank handle or the like 27, so that by turning thesprocket 26, the pinions 23 may be rotated to the front end of the boxand caused to ride upwardly and. forwardly upon the racks. A ratchet andpawl device 28 is provided for the sprocket 26 so as to prevent thereverse movement of the pinions 23 and to maintain the box in operativeposition after its front end has been caused to ride upwardly andforwardly on the racks. It is obvious that the rolling supports for therear end of the box readily permit this forward movement of the latter.

The elevation of the front end of the box is primarily designed for thepurpose of providing space whereby the mound may be easily shaped, butit also serves the purpose of raising the driving sprocket 9 to aposition where it can be more easily manipulated by the operatorstanding alongside of the box A. Preferably, as illustrated in thedrawings, both driving sprockets 9'and 26 are mounted on the same sideof the box, so that they may be manipulated by the same operator orattendant, the parts being so arranged that there will be nointerference be tween the two actuating mechanisms.

Having .thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A grave-filling apparatus comprising a receptacle for loose earth, asupport upon forwardly.

2. A grave-filling apparatus comprising a receptacle for loose earth,asupport for the rear end of said receptacle, a front. end support forthe receptacle, the front end support embodying inclined racks, p nionscarried by the receptacle and meshing with said racks, and means forturning said pinions whereby to raise the front end of the receptacleand move'it forwardly.

3. A grave-filling apparatus comprising a receptacle for loose earth, afront end support for the receptacle embodying two inclined racks, ashaft journaled in the receptacle, pinions carried by said shaft andmeshing with said racks, a sprocket wheel carried by said shaft, asprocket chain pass ing around said sprocket wheel, and an actuatingsprocket carried by the support and over which the said sprocket chainalso passes.

4. A grave-filling apparatus comprising a receptacle for loose earth, afront end support for the receptacle embodying inclined racks, pinionscarried by the receptacle and arranged to roll on said racks, means forturning said pinions in one direction, and a pawl and ratchet devicearranged to prevent the movement of the pinions in the oppositedirection.

5. A grave filling apparatus comprising a receptacle for loose earth, asupport for the rear end of the receptacle, a front end support for thereceptacle embodying inclines upon which the receptacle is designed toride upwardly and forwardly, automatic means for preventing the rearwardand downward movement on the front end support, and for holding saidreceptacle in operative position on such front end support.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DOUGLAS A. SPARKS. a 5.

Witnesses:

W. N. WooDsoN, FREDERICK S. STITT.

